Foreign names, no foreign ingredients

I just came across a poor little cookbook that has seen it's better days. The cover is missing and some remaining pages are torn out from the staples etc. It is a ground beef recipe book and must have been from the 60's because it has some recipes from famous people, one is from Mrs John Connally wife of Governor of Texas. The rest of the recipes have been contributed by woman who are listed as "Mrs some man". I don't remember when that went out, but good riddance to that form of written etiquette.

Anyway while looking at it I was struck by the number of recipes with foreign names but no foreign ingredients. Here is an example:

Cuban Chili Con Carne

2 pounds ground beef

2 tablespoons fat

2 large onions, chopped

1 stalk peppers, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

2 No. 2 cans tomatoes

2 No. 2 cans red kidney beans

1 clove garlic

Chili powder to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat in hot fat. Add onions, celery and green peppers. Add tomatoes, beans and garlic, and seasonings. Simmer to a thick soup.

Basically that is how I make chili and I know it has nothing to do with Cuba. Here is another example:

Arabian Stew

Oil

5 medium potatoes, sliced

1 cup rice

1 medium onion, sliced

4 stalks celery, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1 pound hamburger

1 can tomato soup

1/2 soup can water

Place a small amount of oil in casserole. Add potatoes, rice, onion, celery, salt and pepper. Place meat on top of mixture. Add soup and water. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 30 minutes longer.

I sincerely doubt they are using much canned tomato soup in Arabia.